Combined ruler and blotter.



P. W. MULLER, J11. COMBINED RULER AND BLOTTBR.

APPLICATION FILED APB.10, 1911.

Patented July 25, 1911.

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coLuMmA PLANOIJRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. 01 c UNITED STATES PATEN T @FFTCE.

FREDERICK WILLIAM MULLER, JR., OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

COMBINED RULER AND BLOTTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK IVILLIAM MULLER, J12, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Rulers and Blotters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists of a simple and advantageous form of combined ruler and blotter designed especially to facilitate the operation of blotting lines made by means of the ruler, the combining of the above parts being such that it is not necessary to manipulate the ruler and blotter separately in order to accomplish the desired object.

The invention resides particularly in the peculiar construction of the ruler and blotter holder forming a partthereof, whereby the removal of the blotter for the purpose of supplying a fresh pad may be quickly performed, and whereby also surplus ink received on the ruling edge of the ruler is absorbed by the blotter in the use of the device.

For a full understanding of the present invention, reference is to be had to the fol lowing description and to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a combined ruler and blotter holder and blotter in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of the device; Fig. 3 is a section taken about on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modification.

Throughout the following detail description and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

As shown in Figs. 1 t0 3, the invention comprises essentially the ruler A, the blot-- ter holder B and the blotter or blotting pad C. The ruler and blotter holder are combined and of composite construction in that they are made of two plates, the portions of which, on opposite sides of a medial longitudinal line, are bent or curved out wardly to provide the ruler and blotter holder. In other words, the plates comprising the parts A and B are bent to provide the ruler members 1 which converge toward their outer edges and spaced apartadjacent to the longitudinal medial line of the device. In like manner, the blotter holder is composed of the spaced members 2 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. April 10, 1911.

Serial No. 620,039.

converging toward their outer edges and Patented July 25, wit. u

spaced apart a greater distance than the space between the members 1, making the blotter holder of greater thickness than the ruler. Each of the ruler members 1 is integral with one of the blotter members 2, being bent from the same plate. The two plates whereby the parts A and B are formed are held together at closely spaced intermediate portions by means of the spring clamps 3, the latter being of somewhat U-form and adapted to engage over the plates comprising the parts A and B at the opposite ends of the combined device, as shown in Fig. 1.

The clamps not only perform the function of securing the plates of the parts A and B together, but the blotter members 2 are held in positive engagement with the blotters C at one edge portion thereof, said portion of the blotters being received between the parts 2. Also bet-ween the ruler members 1 is a single blotter C, held so that its edge is approximate to the ruling edges of the ruler A. to absorb any ink received on the ruling edges from a pen. The ruling edges of the ruler A are provided by the outer edges of the ruler members 1, said outer edges being in contact, and the metal from which the members 1 are made being rolled to provide flanges 1 which engage over celluloid strips A that have the gradu-' ations of the ruler thereon. The celluloid strips A are also held in place at the opposite ends of the device by end flanges A.

Having in view the construction described and shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, it will be apparent that to remove a soiled blotter from the device it is only necessary to detach the clamps 3 and the plates which form the ruler and blotter holder may be separated, the operation being reversed in order to apply a new blotter or blotters.

In Fig. 4 is shown a construction in which the plates forming the ruler and blotter holder are brought into contact at portions intermediate the above members and riveted, as shown at 4. In the device, as shown in Fig. 4, the blotter C will be arranged adjacent to the edges of the ruling edges A and the rivets at 4 hold the members of the blotter holder so as to cause them to grip the blotters C by a spring action.

The invention is very simply constructed and can be cheaply made by reason of the formation of the parts entirely of metal. It

is apparent that in using the device, the ruling edges of the ruler may be held against the paper or other part to be ruled and as soon as the ruling is completed, pressure against the blotter holder will tilt the members to raise the ruling edges, whereupon the blotters C may be moved by grasping the member A and member B to blot the lines made in a convenient manner, and by the operation of a unitary device instead of separate ruling and blotting means as customary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination of a ruler and blotter holder comprising plates, each plate being bent at its opposite longitudinal portions to provide a ruler member and a blotter holding member, means for securing the plates together, and a blotter received between the blotter holding members.

2. The combination of a ruler and blotter holder comprising plates, each plate being bent at its opposite longitudinal portions'to provide a ruler member and a blotter holding member, means for securing the plates together intermediate of their respective ruling and blotter holding members, and a blotter received between the blotter holding members.

3. The combination of a ruler and blotter holder comprising plates, each plate being bent at its opposite longitudinal portions to provide a ruler member and a blotterholding member, clamps detaohably applied to the device in engagement with the plates intermediate of the ruler and blotter holding members, and a blotter received between the blotter holding members.

4. In combination, a ruler and a blotter holder, the same comprising plates bent at 5. In combination, a ruler and a blotter holder, the same comprising plates bent at their opposite longitudinal portions to form converging ruling and blotter holding members, the outer edges of the ruling members being in contact, and a blotter received be tween the converging blotter holding members, and a second blotter coacting with the ruler, and having an edge thereof terminating adjacent to the point of contact of the outer edges of the ruling members.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a combined ruler and blotter holder consisting of a pair of plates having portions adjacent to a loi'igitudinal medial line thereof arranged in close relation, each plate being bent outwardly and then toward its opposite plate on opposite sides of the closely related portions aforesaid, whereby to provide converging ruling members and converging blotter holding members, devices connecting the plates at portions intermediate of the ruling and blotter holding members, a blotter received between the blotter holding members and securely held thereby, the ruling members being formed with longitudinal and end flanges, and graduated strips applied to the outer sides of the ruling members and held in place by said flanges.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK WILLIAM MULLER, JR.

Witnesses:

J. P. BOYLES, D. M. STAFFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

